Children of Fate
by The Frostbound Prince
Summary: A month since the defeat of Ultimecia, the gang is just starting to get their lives back to normal. Too bad they didn't count on the return of Hyne. The world through the eyes of various FFVIII chars, old and new. [Read inside]
1. Squall

**Author's Notes:** Well, this is gonna be short. I've had this fic done for months, and I haven't gotten around to writing the author notes for it. So here they are. This is the "much anticipated" Children of Fate fic, which is a compilation of posts and written works by myself, Katie (Stickz), and Rin (Fala). Although this particular chapter was written solely by me. There were also other people who added some stuff, but I have yet to even chapter-ize that, so I'll get to that when it happens.

This chapter is set up a different way than I usually write. Each chapter starts with a character's biography. So their name, age, gender, weapon prefs, Limit Breaks, et cetera. After that, there's the chapter itself. You can tell where each bios ends when you see "Chapter #, Title " . Alright? This way, for the newly introduced characters, you can figure out who they are. Anyway, onto the Disclaimer, then the fic itself.

**A NOTE:** This fic takes place a month after the events in the game. The randomly decided date we came up with was December 1st, 2130CE. In our heads, we decided the day Ultimecia died was October 31st. Alright? Alright. Just in case you don't bother to read the bio...

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, I own nothing. Well, I own stuff, the stuff I own just doesn't happen to include Square or any of their games. Well, I own their games...just not, OWN own. Ah, you get my picture. Squall, Zell, Rinoa, the rest of the Final Fantasy VIII cast, locations, GF, magic, Limits, et cetera, is all owned by Square or Squaresoft or Square-Enix or whatever they wanna call themselves. All I own is randomly created characters (Damien, Devas, Katherine, Geoff, Seth, Luke, et cetera) and maybe some other stuff. And this story, though even that I share with some other amazing people. Anyway, without further adieu, I own nothing, on with the story!

**Children of Fate**

**The Fic**

**Chapter 1**  
_Squall_  
  
**Name:** Squall Leonhart  
**Age:** 17  
**Gender:** Male  
**Nicknames:** Lion, Lone Wolf, Leonhart, Squallie  
**Date of Birth:** August 23  
  
**Hair:** medium brown, and somewhat long. Very spiky.  
**Eyes:** Ice blue/grey. Can change depending on dominant GF**Height****:** 5' 8"  
**Weight:** unknown  
**Distinguishing features:** a long scar running from above his right eyebrow diagonally to the middle of his left cheek.  
  
**Weapon preference:** Gunblade  
**Limit:** Renzokuken; Lionheart, Blasting Zone, Fated Circle, Rough Divide.  
  
**Clothes:** _Informal/__Battle__:_ A short black leather jacket with a fur collar, a white T-Shirt, black leather pants. Two criss-crossing belts, along with a third holding up his pants, and a ring and necklace with the Greiver symbol on it. Black boots and black leather gloves. A sheath for his gunblade.  
_Formal:_ His SeeD uniform.  
  
**Social Behaviour:** Squall is a loner. He has problems expressing his emotions and ideas, for fear of being wrong or different. He is an anti-social young man because as a child all those he cared for abandoned him. He believed that so long as he didn't make any friends he wouldn't have to experience that kind of pain again. After the events of the Second Sorceress War, he realized he can have friends, and needs them. He doesn't talk more than he has to, and because of this comes off as selfish, self-absorbed and uncaring. In reality Squall is a very caring person, but he doesn't like to get involved in others affairs. He is serious and tries his best not to show himself off. Basically, Squall is a lone wolf.  
  
**Weaknesses**: Squall fears being alone. When it comes to those he cares about, he will do anything to keep them from being hurt. He also appears to are about what people think of him, even though he says he doesn't.

**Biography:**  
Squall was an orphan. At some point between his birth and about the age of four, he found himself at Edea's Orphanage in the Centra region. There, he lived with his Matron, Edea, and the other children she kept. Here were his 'Sis' Ellone; Zell, Seifer, Quistis, Selphie, and Irvine. Some other children were also kept here. Around five, Ellone left the orphanage to live on Edea's SeeD ship, and Squall spent the next few months looking for her, to no avail.  
  
At about five or six, Squall was sent to the newly constructed Balamb Garden, whose headmaster happened also to be the husband of his 'Matron'. There he stayed and grew up, along with fellow 'child' Seifer. The boys became rivals, and when Squall was nine Quistis joined Garden. She became a moderator, always breaking up their fights. At thirteen Zell also became a student at Garden, and shortly thereafter Quistis became his Instructor. At seventeen Squall decided to become a SeeD. He took the written exam with some fellow students and passed. Before he was able to finish his field exam, he was challenged to a fight by his ever-rival Seifer. The battle left the boys with mirror image scars across each other's faces and Squall in the Infirmary. Quistis helped him in his field exam at getting the GF Ifrit and he was sent on a field mission to Dollet to prove himself a SeeD. On this mission he was paired with Seifer and Zell, and of course Seifer was the leader. Squall and Zell would have failed their mission had it not been for Selphie, a messenger from another squad. Together Squall, Zell and Selphie passed the SeeD exam along with Nida, and Seifer was left to take all the blame. At the inauguration party, Squall met a beautiful girl. They danced almost all night until the girl suddenly left. Squall also discovered that night that Quistis was no longer an instructor at Garden.  
  
The next morning, headmaster Cid tells Squall, Zell and Selphie of their first and newest mission. They are to liberate the town of Timber from Galbadian rule. On the train ride there the party falls into a dream-like state, and meet Laguna, Ward and Kiros for the first time. Once they arrive in Timber, they quickly discover that the girl at the dance was the one they are working for, and that her name is Rinoa. Somehow they end up trying to overthrow the President, which fails. Meanwhile Seifer escapes from Garden and makes his way to Timber and attacks the President of Galbadia. The president was introducing his ambassador, the sorceress. Quistis had followed Seifer and the gang meet up and somehow (Zell) the president discovers all of them were from Garden. This leads to an escape from Timber and a trip to the closest Garden, Galbadia.  
  
At Galbadia Garden, he was given yet another mission, supposedly a joint mission between Balamb and Galbadia Gardens. Squall was to assassinate the Sorceress. To help Squall with this Irvine was introduced, and the gang made their way to Galbadia's capital, Deling City.  
  
In Deling City, the group met up with General Caraway, who is also Rinoa's father. General Caraway gave the group their mission briefing and the group was separated, leaving Squall with Irvine, to carry out the assassination plan. If Irvine missed, it was up to Squall to take on the sorceress face to face. Unfortunately, Rinoa managed to get herself captured by the sorceress and Squall, with Irvine, had to save her. Just before, they watched the President murdered by the sorceress. When the time came, Irvine failed the assassination attempt, and Squall goes to confront the sorceress. He has to go through the sorceress' knight first; Seifer. The two fought and Seifer lost. Then, with the help of Irvine and Rinoa, he took on the sorceress. Unfortunately, they lost at the last moment when the sorceress used her Ice Strike Limit, and the group; minus Irvine, ended up in the D-District Prison.  
  
With Irvine's (reluctant) help, the group escaped the prison, only to learn that the sorceress and Seifer were going to destroy both Trabia and Balamb Gardens and kill all the SeeD. The group separates again, and Squall made his way back to Balamb Garden to warn the students and Cid. The Garden was in chaos when he arrived with two friends in tow. The Garden Master NORG had the students and faculty of Garden searching for Cid, violently. SeeD and some of the students were protecting Cid's whereabouts, including Xu. The three also found Fujin and Raijin, who both agreed to help spread the word of the missiles. After finding Xu, Squall and the two others went to speak with Cid, led by Xu. Cid tells of a secret MD Level to the Garden, once used when the garden was a Centra Shelter, and Squall takes it upon himself to find out the secrets of the level, hoping it might save Garden. Below, he discovers the hidden ability of the Garden. . . mobility. The Garden came from its resting place outside Balamb and floated past the town and plunged itself into the ocean, floating on its waves, uncontrollable.   
During the drift, Squall meets and defeated NORG, and discovered that in fact the mission to destroy the sorceress had not been from Balamb Garden, and that the sorceress, Edea, is Cid's wife!!!   
  
The Garden floated to the city of Fisherman's Horizon, built on top of the ocean. Squall is sent to apologize for the rough entrance of the Garden, and he sees that the town is being overrun by Galbadian soldiers. After eliminating the threat, Squall is reunited with the other members of his team, those who went to 'stop' the missiles. (They had failed; Trabia Garden was almost totally destroyed, and had Balamb Garden not become mobile, it would have been destroyed too.). Squall discovers the Galbadians were searching for a young woman named Ellone for the sorceress. With Nida as pilot, the gang went to discover what had happened to Balamb, and discover it too overrun by Galbadia.  
  
The group liberates Balamb, and Squall discovers that Raijin and Fujin are now working for the sorceress. From here, on Quisits' plea on behalf of Selphie, Squall takes the Balamb Garden to Trabia's destroyed one. Once here, Squall and the gang look around before remembering something. They all used to live at the same place. All of them but Rinoa. They remembered the orphanage and each other and then, her. Their matron. The sorceress Edea. With this new knowledge, Squall took Garden to the abandoned building once known as Edea's Orphanage.   
Just before reaching their destination, Galbadia Garden, now mobile as well, attacks. During their first wave, Rinoa is left hanging onto fragments of the destroyed Quad as a section of it falls away from a hit from the other Garden. Squall manages to save her using a Galbadian flying-Armor-type suit. They ride it to the Galbadia Garden entrance, and join up with the other four inside. Here, Squall leads the group to a battle with Seifer, who loses. Edea and her knight disappear through the floor, into the Garden's auditorium. Here, they defeat Seifer before taking on Edea. Their Matron acted quite differently then they remembered her, and finally defeated her. Somehow, Edea seems to change and become her old self again...and Rinoa goes into a coma.  
  
Squall learned Edea was possessed by a sorceress in the future named Ultimecia. Ultimecia's goal is to defeat and destroy SeeD. Ultimecia's goal was Time Compression, a state where past, present and future combine and one sorceress would be given supreme powers. She possessed Edea but somehow, Edea decided, she managed to suppress the evil sorceress. Squall remembers Ellone's powers, the power to time travel, and searches her out only to discover she has gone to the mysterious Esthar. So, they begin their search. Squall finds a way to the Esthar continent via the train tracks of Horizon Bridge. After arriving, they search the seemingly empty continent and find the hidden city. Squall meets with the very eccentric yet supposedly expert Doctor Odine, and the mad doctor tells him they have the necessary equipment on board the Lunar Base, in space. Squall goes to the Lunar Gate, where he leaves Zell in charge to protect Edea while he, Rinoa, and another head into space. Still in a coma, Rinoa is placed in a secure room to sleep while they wait on treatment. Once they searched the space station, they found Ellone.  
  
Ellone explains some things to Squall, before an alarm goes off. Rinoa, no more comatose, has escaped and is going out into space. At the same time, on Earth, the Galbadians, not stopped by Zell and the others, find the Lunatic Pandora and place it atop Tear's Point. The had begun a Lunar Cry, and those of the space station could see it. Rinoa is trying to free Adel, the evil sorceress that took over Esthar years before until finally being stopped by a mysterious someone almost 17 years before. She was asleep here, with no magic, no junctions, no nothing. The Space Station was created to block out all kinds of waves that may awaken the sleeping sorceress. Including the radio waves down on Earth. Rinoa frees Adel before Squall could stop her, and the tomb holding Adel's body plummets back down to Earth via the Lunar Cry, and Rinoa with it. Squall manages somehow to save Rinoa himself, and the two find an abandoned spaceship that they use for protection. Inside it, the two discovered it was infested with aliens called Propagator, and after defeating them used the spaceship: Ragnarok. Inside, they learn that Rinoa too was possessed by Ultimecia, how now sleeps with Adel, and is a sorceress. Squall and Rinoa manage to return to Earth with the help of some people from Esthar.   
  
Once returned, Squall discovers that Rinoa is to be taken to Esthar's Sorceress Memorial to be made safe to the rest of humanity, sealed away much like Adel was. Taken away as soon as they landed, Rinoa said her goodbyes as Squall learned that Ellone had been captured by the Galbadians. With a bit of coaxing from Zell and Quistis, Squall decided to rescue Rinoa, with a spunky Selphie piloting the spaceship. With help, Squall rescues Rinoa and they flee to Edea's house, almost stopped by soldiers had it not been for a mysterious large man. At Edea's house, in her field of flowers, Rinoa and Squall make a promise to be here, in the field, if they ever get separated. Then, Zell came in to tell them some news. The President of Esthar wishes to see them. The scariest thing? The Aide who requested their presence was Kiros. The gang arrived and discovered that Laguna Loire was the President of Esthar, with Kiros and a mute Ward as his Aides. Laguna told Squall of his plan to rescue Ellone, who was being help within the Lunatic Pandora with a still comatose Sorceress Adel and a possessed Knight Seifer. With Laguna, Kiros and Ward onboard the Ragnarok, the group went to the Lunatic Pandora to save Ellone and begin the Time Compression that Ultimecia longed for by killing Adel.   
  
Inside the Pandora, Squall defeated Fujin and Raijin, who escaped deeper into the Pandora to warn their leader Seifer. They were finished working for him. They might be a posse but they no longer agreed with what he did. Further inside, Squall discovers Raijin, Fujin, Seifer and Ellone. Fujin and Raijin release Ellone into the safety of Laguna before telling Seifer how they feel. The usually QUIET Fujin giving Seifer a speech on their friendship before retreating from the Pandora. Then Seifer attacks Squall and the others. Odin goes to attack and kill Seifer but at the last moment Seifer gives the Death GF a taste of his own medicine and kills Odin (after Time Compression ended it was discovered he was really not dead, or if he was the Compression of Time brought him back) Before Squall can defeat Seifer himself, a mysterious new GF, Gilgamesh, does the job for him, taking Odin's sword and seemingly defeating Seifer. Rinoa, saddened by Seifer's 'death', runs off, only to have Seifer stand right after she leaves. He grinned at Squall and ran after Rinoa, capturing her and bringing her to Adel.   
  
The group minus Rinoa confront Adel and Seifer, with a screaming Rinoa attached to the 12 foot tall sorceress' chest, drawing strength and Magics from the defenceless girl. The manage to kill Adel without killing Rinoa in the process and Ellone instigates Time Compression, sending Ultimecia's consciousness to the future and then bringing Rinoa's back to the present before setting the Time Compression into full swing. Squall and the others are pulled into a world some unknown amount of time into the future. They face off against various Sorceresses throughout time before making their way from what they thought was Edea's House. Outside, the landscape changes, and before Squall stood not the Lighthouse, but a floating Castle, Ultimecia's Castle. Squall past the bodies of dead SeeD, and continued up the large chain links keeping the castle from floating off into the sky.  
  
On their way, they past 4 portals to various other places on Earth, and managed to regain control of Ragnarok and find Xu and the rest of the Card Club still safe. Squall and company then returned to Ultimecia's Castle and entered, discovering the had no use of various battle commands, and the ability to save. In order to regain them, they defeated various bosses scattered throughout Ultimecia's Castle, including a monster that was once known as Bahamut. Before facing Ultimecia, Squall took on ultimate monster Omega Weapon and made his way to the top of the Castle. To the Master's Room where Ultimecia waited.   
  
Inside Ultimecia's chambers, the teenagers were confronted by a young, silver haired woman they knew as Ultimecia. After her speech of temporal domination and ending the lives of all SeeD, she attacked, using powerful Magics and special abilities to take out the would-be heros. They defeated her once, and she summoned the most powerful of GFs. Griever. The GF represented in Squall's Ring. They battled it and managed to defeat it too, only for the GF to junction itself with Ultimecia. After taking the combined two out, stars began falling around them, and they stood on seemingly starry space, alone. Until, of course, Ultimecia appeared in her true and final form. She used the most powerful Apocalypse magic against them and an attack called Hell's Judgment that lowered the party's HP to one. She spoke, her words sad and disturbing. Using a Holy War, Squall used the one HP and the Invincible status to use his Limit, ending with the finishing move Lionheart. Ultimecia had finally taken too much damage. Her dying words only audible by Squall. The Time Compressed world began to change back and the group all slipped back into their own time.  
  
Except Squall.  
  
He ended up at Edea's Orphanage, and saw his Matron, Edea, watching over a smaller version of himself. He told her about SeeD and Garden, before being interrupted by an also time-trekked Ultimecia. The woman was dying, but needed someone to pass her powers onto. Edea accepted those powers, as so none of the other children would become a sorceress. Edea, after all, had been a sorceress since birth as well. How ironic that the powers she received that day were in fact the powers of the sorceress the children she raised who later defeat. After Ultimecia disappeared into death, and the young Squall returned, Edea asked Squall to return to his time, and Squall knew now he could. And he disappeared. . .   
  
. . . Only to find himself lost in time with no one to help him come back. The nightmare Rinoa had was playing out in reality. At the last moment, Rinoa rescued him and they returned to the present. About a week after Ultimecia's demise in the once-again normal time, there was a party to celebrate their accomplishments. Squall and Rinoa stood on the balcony to the Ballroom and looked at the shooting star before kissing for the first time.  
  
The other three weeks had been uneventful. Squall was appointed official Headmaster of Balamb Garden and in turn appointed Quistis, Zell and Selphie instructors. Irvine and Rinoa were both given the option to apply for SeeDship. Squall also was given the authority to create other Gardens around the world, and Esthar and Fisherman's Horizon aided in the reconstruction of Trabia Garden before setting the plans for other Gardens into motion. It was a very hectic month, with a lot of mission debriefings, paperwork and craziness. Things are finally starting to settle down again. There was just two things that bothered him. _Ultimecia's__ cryptic dying words._   
  
**And his unknown desire to head to the Trabian Snowfields. **

**Chapter 1- Fade Out**  
_Squall Point of View_  
  
A dark, spiky haired teenager wandered slowly to the dorms. Me. I had had a long day. There was a lot of paperwork to handle. Everyday more students were joining Garden, and everyday I had to deal with SeeD missions, various committees within Garden, and external affairs. It was driving me slowly insane.  
  
I sighed. 'Finally', I thought. 'Sleep.'   
  
I had been working 18 hours straight. I started at 9AM, and was finally finished enough that I could sleep. It was 3AM. And I had to be up and back to work at 8AM latest.  
  
Being headmaster sucks.  
  
I turned down the hallway leading to the boys' dorms.  
  
Why I had let them give me the job of Headmaster at Balamb Garden when Headmaster Cid moved back to the Orphanage-soon-to-be-Garden in Centra, I don't know.  
  
'Sleep. What need now is about twelve hours of sleep. . .'  
  
I rolled my eyes, continuing to the elite dorms at Garden. I passed the SeeD dorm rooms, then the Instructor suites, before finally coming to the end of the hall.  
The Headmaster's suite. They had to build an addition for it, since before the Headmaster's room had been on the third floor.  
  
Too bad about the whole 'third floor no longer private' thing. Really messed things up.   
  
I dug into my pocket, barely awake. I pulled out my ID card and swiped it across the lock, typing in '4-9-4' into the keypad and hearing the faint beep before sliding silently open, revealing a colourless room.

I reached for the lightswitch, removing the black from the room. I entered the suite and punched in a password into the panel beside the door, causing the door to slide shut and lock once more.  
  
I glanced around the spacious suite. Being Headmaster wasn't so bad. The pay sucked, but the room was nice. I shrugged off my leather jacket and hung it over the back of a dining room chair. I kicked off my boots into a shadowy corner by the door and moved slowly to the bedroom, turning on and off lights as I went.   
  
I slipped into the bedroom, contemplating the usefulness of getting changed. I undid the multiple belts, and decided to skip the changing thing, to collapse into the softness and comfortableness of my bed. The Lion Heart glowed pale blue in the corner, a natural night-light.  
  
And as if being headmaster isn't hard enough, I also have to double as an instructor. And, of all subjects, English. I have no idea how they talked me into that. I know we're having an instructors shortage; with many of them either leaving Garden while we were in Esthar or dying in the battle against Galbadia Garden trying to protect the Junior Classmen. So, without an English or Psychology instructor, they needed someone to teach it. And for English, it was me or Zell. Zell contracts words that can't be contracted, my favourite sentence is ''...'' . So, guess who gets stuck teaching it. . . ?   
  
I close my eyes, wishing for Ellone's powers right about now.  
  
Compressing time seems like a fairly decent idea right about now . . .  
  
I slipped into dreams, one thought on my mind. . . .  
  
I am **NOT** a morning person.  
  
My sleep came easily. And, same as with every night in the past four weeks, so did my dreams.  
  
The Dream.  
  
My Dream.  
The dream was reoccurring. It never changed, except for the inclusion or deletion or certain scenes. Otherwise, it was the same dream. Night after night. It haunted me.  
  
**I killed Ultimecia. **  
_And now I would pay. . . . With my sanity._  
  
**Dream Sequence: Fallen Ones**  
  
A lone figure stood in a barren waste land. Me. I was alone, my worst fear. My dark hair and clothes blending me into the dark stone around me. My pale blue weapon suspended at my side. I lifted my head, looking from side to side.  
  
"Where am I?"  
  
The voice was my own, but I knew the answer already. I had been here often. I then turned to walk, my footsteps heavy with fatigue and hopelessness. I knew how it ended.  
  
My footsteps became leaden, and my pace slowed to near non-existence. I fell. My energy wasted, I collapsed roughly to the ground, the sharp stone jabbing my side. If I'd had the energy, I would have cried out in pain. But I couldn't, and wouldn't. It was no use. I was alone. A lone tear slid down my cheek, freezing into a shard of ice before it could be free of my face. A wave of exhaustion came over me.   
  
"I give up."   
  
And with that, I slipped into unconsciousness.  
  
I awoke, but I was no longer where I had begun. The ground was black. I felt suspended, and soon realized why. Stars shot across the black sky, which doubled as ground as well. I heard a voice, far off. I recognized it.  
  
Ultimecia.  
  
I stood, with much effort, and felt a breath on the back of my neck. I spun to face the nameless stalker.  
  
It was her.  
The silver-haired sorceress stood as she had before he death. Her red dress made redder by the blood of her veins. Her skin pale from exhaustion, the purple and red tattoos of her face and body standing out against its paleness. I whispered her name.  
  
"Ultimecia."  
  
She smiled faintly, and spoke, her voice lacking the accent she had developed over her life. Her voice reverting for the first time in years to the way it sounded then. When her knight had been alive, with her. She spoke now, the same words she spoke the moment before her death, before I took the final, fatal slash of Lion Heart. The words placed in my mind.  
  
_"Awoken from a sleep Eternal, the Childhood years all gone.__ Fated Children arise and search, preparing a new era's dawn. The seeds of the future lie buried in the past. Everything happens for a reason. Let not the ice shatter you, but instead freeze your fears. Go to the __Garden__ of __Truth__, the __Garden__ of __Spring__'s truth. With fiery truth, burn the evil of the world. In fiery truth, light the darkness of this world. Be well, Child of Fate. These days, they've died. All is not what it seems, to find the truth, search your dreams."_  
  
With that, I felt a sharp pain across my face, and the scar from my gunblade fight bled once more. The blood ran down my face, into my eyes, my nose, my mouth. I let out a scream and clutched my face in pain. I felt myself fall. Just as I had fallen after I completed the fated limit that ended the possessed sorceress' life. A fallen one for a fallen one. The blood seeped through my hands, falling to the ground. I could not see her, but I knew she was gone. I screamed.  
  
I was awake.  
  
As it always happened.  
  
I lay in the bed, sweat frozen to me. I shivered, pulling the blankets over my chilled body. I turned on my side, searching a more comfortable position. Then something out of the ordinary happened. That was when I saw it.  
  
A drop of blood, still wet on my pillow.  
  
". . . Was it a dream this time? Or was it. . . real. . .?"  
  
I awoke from my half hour of dreamless sleep. I had given up trying to sleep now, and got myself out of bed. I took a quick shower and dressed into my casual clothes, still stretching in order to fully wake myself up. I strapped the gunblade to my hip and walked out of the dorms. I wasn't quite sure where I was going. I was just walking to keep myself awake. I sighed, my words sleep -riddled.  
  
"I need some caffeine before I collapse."   
  
'. . . Cafeteria it is.' 

**Author's Notes2:** Yeah, there it is. Chapter One. In case you're confused, this story follows the events of "Your Final Fantasy Ends at Eight". Squall's headmaster, as well as an instructor, and he's having crazy-realistic dreams. Lot's of confusingness all round. Well, hope it didn't suck. If you're interested, check out the site listed in my bio [click my name], and go there, you'll see where I've been getting some of this. Anyway, chapter 2 should also be up, so move on, person.


	2. Damien

**Author's Notes:** Yeah, me again. Like before, this chapter's all mine, so no, I'm not stealing. Well, here it is. This is the "much anticipated" Children of Fate fic, which is a compilation of posts and written works by myself, Katie (Stickz), and Rin (Fala), chapter 2. Although this particular chapter was written solely by me.

This chapter introduces an original character of mine named Damien. Damien is actually a very helpful character, as he introduces you to this month later version of FFVIII. So you learn together. Isn't that nice of me? Yeah, I know it isn't, but it's a nice thought at least. Anyway, this chapter starts with Damien's biography. Then goes into the story itself. Kinda like the 1st chapter. Alright? Anyway, onto the Disclaimer, then the fic itself.

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, I own nothing. Hm, no, that's not right. Well, I own stuff, the stuff I own just doesn't happen to include Square or any of their games. Well, I own their games...just not, OWN own. Ah, you get my picture. Squall, Zell, Rinoa, the rest of the Final Fantasy VIII cast, locations, GF, magic, Limits, et cetera, is all owned by Square or Squaresoft or Square-Enix or whatever they wanna call themselves. All I own is randomly created characters (Damien, Devas, Katherine, Geoff, Seth, Luke, et cetera) and maybe some other stuff. And this story, though even that I share with some other amazing people. Anyway, without further adieu, I own nothing, on with the story!

**Chapter 2**  
_Damien_  
  
**Name:** Damien MacDonald  
**Age:** 16  
**Gender:** Male  
**Nicknames:** Day, Dai, Damie  
**Date of Birth:** October 5th  
  
**Hair:** light brown, short.  
**Eyes:** pale green. Blue, violet and silver flecks. Can change depending on dominant GF  
**Height:** 5'4"  
**Weight:** unknown (lean)  
**Distinguishing features:** None known.  
  
**Weapon preference:** Gunblade, Gloves, and Boots.  
  
**Limit: **_Renzokuken__;_ Lionheart, Blasting Zone, Fated Circle, Rough Divide, Brotherhood, Fatality  
_Duel; _My Final Heaven, Different Beat, Meteor Barret, Burning Rave, Meteor Strike, Dolphin Blow, Mach Kick, Heel Drop, Booya, Punch Rush, Armageddon Fist  
_Fray;_ Ice Kick, Flame Kick, Thunder Kick, Water Kick, Wind Kick, Poison Kick, Earth Kick, Holy Kick, Demi Kick, Rocket Kick, Backlash, Hell Kick, Angel Kick, Unnamed  
  
**Clothes:** _Informal/Battle: _Faded blue cargo jeans, bright blue T-Shirt with a silver collar and black sleeves. A necklace around his neck, of Libra, the Balance. Silver and blue watch on his left wrist. Blue and black gloves, the Override. A sheath for his gunblade, the glowing, green bladed Fatality. His shoes; black yellow and silver; are known as the Thunder Shoes.  
_Formal:_ His Cadet uniform.  
  
**Social Behaviour:** Damien is kind of shy. He doesn't make friends all that easily and doesn't talk to many people. The only people he talks openly with are his family and close friends. He's kind of secretive. Some people think because he doesn't talk a lot he's snotty, but Damien is actually very nice. He just doesn't know what to say around people. It doesn''t help he''s just coming to Garden now. It won't help his case he's the 'new guy'. He enjoys playing soccer, as it helps with his footwork in battle. Because of this pastimes, he has made a few friends, but not many. If he's with the right people he can be very talkative, but mostly he keeps to himself.  
  
**Weaknesses:** Damien's secretive nature. Also, the fact he has not become particularly proficient in any of his three weapons; gunblade, gloves, and shoes. Also, his desire to help the helpless, might also aid in his own downfall.  
  
**Brief Biography:** Damien was born near the end of the original Sorceress War, and supposedly both his parents were killed in some kind of accident. The exact facts were unclear. All that was known was he was sent to Edea's Orphanage in Centra, where he lived with a few other orphans until the age of four.   
  
At four, a husband and wife from the Winhill area adopted him, and he lived with them in their home, on the outskirts of the flower town. At first the people of the town didn't accept the boy because he was not from the town originally, but eventually they managed to stand his presence. He lived with the 30 year old husband and wife and their other adopted son, Devas, until about twelve. The woman was what once would have been called a school teacher, and she taught the boys all they needed to know. The man was a business man, and they were very wealthy. Eventually, about six or seven, he began calling the man and woman ''mom'' and ''dad'', and the boy ''brother''. Damien lived a good childhood, getting what he needed, but sheltered from the rest of the world. He never made many friends.   
  
At ten, he, his parents and his brother went on a camping trip to the Winhill Bluffs. They had a fun time camping out under the stars, and stayed out there for almost a week. On the last day, Damien awoke to screaming. He opened the tent he shared with Devas and saw what his parents were screaming about. There was something outside the tent. A monster. A Visage. The monster was probably close to level 100, and it attacked the defenceless man and woman, depleting their HP quickly. They made one last gesture, telling the boys to run, before dying. Devas was more then willing to run, but Damien knew they had a small chance of actually escaping without a fight. The monster had seen them. It attacked.   
The boys fought it, and by some miracle they beat it, although severely low on HP. Damien''s love for soccer had payed off; well placed kicks and punches, along with his brother''s help, brought the monster to its death. The boys managed to make it back to Winhill, barely alive. Without parents, they were sent into a kind of foster care, spending a day or so at each house in Winhill.   
  
Eventually, someone came to adopt the boys. Unfortunately, this person could only afford one child, and picked Devas, and took off to Dollet or some other far-away place. Eventually, about two months later, a ship came to Winhill and picked up Damien. It was on that ship that he met a girl he would never forget. Or so he thought.  
  
Almost two years later, a young men from the town of Balamb came and adopted Damien, at 13, and he never saw the girl again...at least not for 3 more years.  
  
Damien didn''t make friends quickly. He signed up for a soccer league, and began practising martial arts and using a gunblade. He had been working on his stats since his ''parent''s'' deaths and had made himself into a fairly decent fighter; going from the very basic Level 1 to Level 25 before he turned 15.  
  
The man Damien was living with was a mercenary, and would leave for days at a time; sometimes even weeks. The man was well trained in combat with a gunblade, and taught Damien how to turn his then basic Revolver into a deadly weapon. He also helped to develop his martial arts skills, with the help of a neighbourhood teen. Two weeks before Damien''s 16th birthday, the man made him an offer. He could train at the esteemed Balamb Garden. They were looking for gunblade specialists and more hand-to-hand combat specialists as well. It wasn''t until the end of the Second Sorceress War he let himself decide.   
  
_He would go to Garden, untrained, at sixteen with only 40 levels of experience behind him. He was going to make something of himself. He was going to save those people who could not help themselves. He was going to make up for not helping his original foster parents, and his birth parents before. He was going to become a SeeD. Even if he had to train the next three years of his life to do it. . . _  
  
**Chapter 2- Welcome to Balamb Garden**  
_Damien Point of View_  
  
The dark haired boy walked quickly into the gates of the world famous Balamb Garden. Me. I had just barely made it onto the bright blue Garden before it floated towards Fisherman's Horizon for the third time that month. I sighed as I slumped to the floor just inside the gates, my backpack hanging off my right shoulder, my bright green gunblade glowing at my side.  
  
I, Damien MacDonald, am a new student. I've been registered for training at Balamb Garden since before it had become famous, a little more then a month ago. I've just finally decided to commence my training at the Garden. There's nothing to do in Balamb anymore.  
  
I stood slowly, throwing the backpack back over my shoulder. I took a deep breath, looking up at the grandeur that was Balamb Garden. The fountain about a hundred metres away sparkled in the rising sun. I began moving forward, silver-blue gloved hands swinging slightly.  
  
My decision was made. I was set for a meeting with my first period Instructor, the History one, at 7:30. It was a little after 7:15 now. I had to find my way to the Library.  
  
I sighed, staring at my yellow, silver and black shoes.  
  
_Maybe becoming a cadet was going to be harder then I thought. . . ._  


I moved through the hallways of the entrance slowly, unsure of myself. I knew I should have come at the start of the year so I could have had the tour of Garden. Well, it was too late now. I was left to fend for myself.  
  
I sighed, pulling the left strap of my bookbag over my shoulder. I stood at the entrance, where an old man lay sleeping in a small booth. I rolled my eyes. **Some security**. I shook my head and continued.  
  
I had reached the directory in the middle of the hallway now, and looked down. I grinned as I saw the arrow pointing towards the Library. I started towards it, hearing in the distance someone screaming **_'All I wanted was four hotdogs!' _**and the pounding of feet far off.  
  
I shook my head, and bit my lip, a stranger in a strange land.  
  
_Maybe__Garden__ wouldn't be so bad after all. . . _

I found my way to the Library. By some miracle, they put it beside the entrance. I went in and noticed practically no one was there but a Library girl with a pigtail, who was fast asleep on a pile of returned library books.   
  
Instead of disturbing the girl to ask her what I should do, I decided to look around instead. I stepped behind a set of shelves as what appeared to be the Head Librarian brushed past me. I heard the Librarian yell at the Library Girl, who apologized quickly. I bit my lip, realizing if I would have woken her up I could have kept her from being caught by the Head Librarian. I sighed. Too late now.  
  
Realizing now that I was alone in the back part of the Library, I looked over the shelves for anything interesting. A copy of 'The Sorceress and her Knight' stood out of the shelf, along with the kid-book 'Goodbye Pupurun', a book I had read when I was five. I picked up the child's story and opened it, reading the last person who had taken it out as 'Raijin'. I grinned.  
  
A large book partially hidden on the top shelf also caught my attention. I pulled it off the shelf and looked at the large red leather cover. The title was unreadable, like it was in some foreign language. It read '**_Liberi_****_ Fatali_**' in large gold scripted letters. Since I couldn't understand what the words said, I abandoned the book and placed it back in its place.  
  
I sighed and moved towards the reading area, tired. I was invisible from the main part of the Library. I had almost fallen asleep when I heard footsteps pounding into the Library and a voice yell out:  
  
"Hey! Where's the new kid!?"  
  
It was a blond, spiky-haired boy. He had bluish-green eyes and probably wasn't much taller than me, if at all. He seemed to have run a long way, from the way he was breathing. He stepped into the Library and the Library girl with the pigtail, sighed, dreamily almost. The blond boy glanced around the room quickly, before letting out a loud sigh.  
  
"Oh no! I lost him! I lost the new guy! Squall's gonna kill me! . . . . .Hey Maekie, sup?"  
  
The Library girl, Maekie, smiled slightly and, as it seemed to me, gathering up her courage, replied. "Not too much, thanks. How are you, Zell?"  
  
The blond, Zell, grinned a cheesy grin and added a quick "I'm ok, thanks." Before remembering his reason for being in the Library in the first place.   
  
"Hey, you seen a kid in here? A boy, um, Damien I think?"  
  
Maekie shook her head as I stepped out from behind the bookcase, bookbag slung over one shoulder. I shyly moved forward and proceeded to say.  
"That'd be me."  
  
Zell grinned. _Saved by his big mouth._ Bet that'd be a first. He smiled a thanks at Maekie and motioned he was going to use the back reading area as the site of the new boy's introduction. He then walked up to the me, grinned that grin again _(His face was gonna be sore tonight)_ and motioned for me to follow him.  
  
"Hey Damien, my name's Instructor Dincht, but you can call me Zell. Welcome to Balamb Garden!"

**Author's Notes2: ** Yeah, chapter two. Weird. Damien's a new kid, he's just enrolled at Garden, and Zell, as an Instructor, gets to show him around. Maekie is the Library girl with the pigtail, who is one of the characters whom Rin (Fala) plays. Well, other then those books, there was really not to much of anything else eventful happening. Read Chapter 3 for more, starring Zell. . Well, hope it didn't suck. Well, move on, person


	3. Zell

**Author's Notes:** Mmhmm, more. Like before, this chapter's all mine, so no, I'm not stealing...I think.. Well, here it is. This is the "much anticipated" Children of Fate fic, which is a compilation of posts and written works by myself, Katie (Stickz), and Rin (Fala), chapter 3. Although this particular chapter was written solely by me.

This chapter is from Zell's perspective. Good ol' Zell. Anyway, he'll be..explaining a bit, not too much, but a bit. And Damien'll get settled in, and you'll meet another original char of mine called Luke.. Anyway, this chapter starts with Zell's biography. Then goes into the story itself. Kinda like the 1st and 2nd chapters. New trend. Alright? Anyway, onto the Disclaimer, then the fic itself.

**Disclaimer:** Yeah, I own nothing. Hm, no, I own stuff, the stuff I own just doesn't happen to include Square or any of their games. Well, I own their games...just not, OWN own. Ah, you get my picture. Squall, Zell, Rinoa, the rest of the Final Fantasy VIII cast, locations, GF, magic, Limits, et cetera, is all owned by Square or Squaresoft or Square-Enix or whatever they wanna call themselves. All I own is randomly created characters (Damien, Devas, Katherine, Geoff, Seth, Luke, et cetera) and maybe some other stuff. And this story, though even that I share with some other amazing people. Anyway, without further adieu, I own nothing, on with the story!

**Chapter 3**  
_Zell_  
  
**Name:** Zell Dincht  
**Age:** 17  
**Gender:** Male  
**Nicknames:** Zellie, Chicken Wuss, Chickie, The Machine.  
**Date of Birth:** March 17th  
  
**Hair:** Blond. Long, spiked bangs; short elsewhere.  
**Eyes: **Pale blue-green; depends on dominant GF.  
**Height:** 5' 5"  
**Weight:** Unknown  
  
**Distinguishing Features:** Dark purple, celtic-type tattoo, roughly crescent shaped, on the left side of his face: from forehead to lower cheek.   
  
**Clothes:** _Informal/__Battle__:_ Black T-Shirt with a blue flame on each shoulder, and a grey and red vest overtop. Blue cargo jean shorts. Black socks and red and black skater shoes. Red and black gloves; the Ehrgeiz  
_Formal: _His SeeD uniform.  
**Weapon Preference:** Gloves, Fists  
  
**Limit:** _Duel;_ My Final Heaven, Different Beat, Meteor Barret, Burning Rave, Meteor Strike, Dolphin Blow, Mach Kick, Heel Drop, Booya, Punch Rush.  
  
**Social Behaviour:** Zell is a very sociable person. He will talk to just about anyone. He's also quite well-liked. Well, except for those who don't quite like his lively attitude. Zell makes friends easy, but not many of them can be considered true friends. During and after the Second Sorceress War, he discovered that the friends he made from his comrades are the first and only real friends he has. Although he was once very overly sociable, he's toned himself down recently. Zell doesn't like coming off as annoying, and despite himself had begun to change his social behaviour so others will like him more.  
  
**Weaknesses:** His friends' safety, and his family's as well. He will protect those he cares for with his life. Also. . . Balamb Garden HOT DOGS! It's the best food ever! Oh YEAH!!!!!   
  
**Biography:** Zell was an orphan. At some point between his birth and about the age of four, he ended up at Edea's Orphanage in the Centra region. There, he lived with his Matron, Edea, and the other children she kept. Here were 'sis' Ellone, Squall, Seifer, Quistis, Selphie, and Irvine. Some other children were also kept here. Around five or six, Zell was adopted by the Dinchts, a family in Balamb.  
  
Zell lived in their residence in Balamb until he was thirteen. He either forgot or didn't care that he had been adopted. He had a few friends, including a younger boy always known as 'The Big Bad Rascal'. At 13, Zell went to Balamb Garden to train to be a well-known soldier, like his 'grandfather'.  
  
Here, Zell met with old 'friends' Squall, Quisits and Seifer. He trained hard to become a worthy martial artist and at seventeen decided to try for SeeD.   
  
He took the written exam with some fellow students and passed. He also completed his field exam, completing it in excellent time. On the day of the field mission Zell learned his fellow group member s would be Squall Leonhart and Seifer Almasy. Their mission was held in Dollet, where a real war was taking place. Seifer was a horrible leader, and if it hadn't have been for another squad's messenger, Selphie, and his own lectures on following the orders, they would have all failed. Instead, Seifer took all the blame and he, Squall, Selphie and another student, Nida passed. The next morning he, Squall and Selphie were assigned to help a resistance faction in Timber free the town from Galbadian rule.  
On the train ride there the three fell into a dream-like state, and meet Laguna, Ward and Kiros for the first time.   
  
After arriving, the group somehow finds themselves trying to overthrow the President, which fails. Meanwhile Seifer escaped from Garden and makes his way to Timber and attacks the President of Galbadia. The president was introducing his ambassador, the sorceress. Quistis had followed Seifer and the gang met up. Unfortunately, Zell accidentally revealed to the president that all of them were from Garden. This leads to an escape from Timber and a trip to the closest Garden, Galbadia.  
  
At Galbadia Garden, he was given yet another mission, supposedly a joint mission between Balamb and Galbadia Gardens. They was to assassinate the Sorceress. To help them, Irvine was introduced, and the gang made their way to Galbadia's capital, Deling City. Zell didn't really like Irvine too much.  
  
In Deling City, the group met up with General Caraway, who is also Rinoa's father. General Caraway gave the group their mission briefing and the group separated. This left Zell with Quistis and Selphie to lower the gates to capture the sorceress. Unfortunately, Quistis, who had been mean to Rinoa, returned to apologize, only to find Rinoa escaped and the door locked! The three had to find their way through the sewers and made it to the controls just in time to capture the sorceress. When the time came, Irvine failed the assassination attempt, and Squall went to confront the sorceress. Unfortunately, they lost at the last moment when the sorceress used her Ice Strike Limit. Zell and the girls went to their rescue, but only ended up getting caught and ended up in the D-District Prison.  
  
Zell helped the girls escape and once they managed to make it from the Prison learned the sorceress planned to destroy both Trabia and Galbadia Gardens. Zell picked a side and helped keep that from happening. One group went to B-Garden, the other to the Galbadia Missile Base. Balamb Garden went mobile and floated to the town of FH, where the three who went to the Missile base ended up.  
  
The group discovers that the sorceress, Edea, is searching for a girl named Ellone. Zell wanted to check on Balamb, so they went and discovered it too was under Galbadian rule. Zell defeated the threat with the other's help and they left.  
  
On behalf of Selphie, Squall took the Balamb Garden to Trabia's destroyed one. Once here, Zell and the gang look around before remembering something. They all used to live at the same place. All of them but Rinoa. They remembered the orphanage and each other and then, her. Their matron. The sorceress Edea. With this new knowledge, Zell and the others took Garden to the abandoned building once known as Edea's Orphanage.   
  
Just before reaching their destination, Galbadia Garden, now mobile as well, attacks. Zell had just taken Squall's Griever Ring, on Rinoa's behalf. She wanted a copy, and he gave it to her to hold onto. Unfortunately, a hit from G-Garden causes a section of the Quad, where they were standing, to fall away. Zell manages to move fast enough but Rinoa doesn't. Zell has to leave her for Squall to save later. Zell then leads an attack on G-Garden itself, later joined by the others of the group. Inside, they take on Edea, their Matron acted quite differently then they remembered her, before finally defeating her. Somehow, Edea seems to change and become her old self again. . . and Rinoa goes into a coma.  
  
Zell learned Edea was possessed by a sorceress in the future named Ultimecia. Ultimecia's goal is to defeat and destroy SeeD. Ultimecia's goal was Time Compression, a state where past, present and future combine and one sorceress would be given supreme powers. She possessed Edea but somehow, Edea decided, she managed to suppress the evil sorceress.   
  
Squall decides the only way to help Rinoa is to find Ellone, who has gone to Esthar. So, they begin their search. Squall finds a way to the Esthar continent via the train tracks of Horizon Bridge. After arriving, they search the seemingly empty continent and find the hidden city. Zell learns that they have the required research tools for Rinoa's affliction at the Lunar Base. Squall, finally trusting Zell, goes into space, where he leaves Zell in charge to protect Edea while he is gone.   
  
On earth, Zell, with Edea and another, learn the Galbadians have a plan to start a human generated Lunar Cry, by using the Lunatic Pandora atop Tear's Point. Zell and his help are unable to stop them, attacked by a mechanical monster and expelled from the floating Lunatic Pandora. Above, Rinoa; possessed by Ultimecia, freed Adel and passed Ultimecia to Adel. Squall and Rinoa returned in the Ragnarok, a dragon-like spaceship.  
  
Rinoa is now a sorceress, and must be taken to the Sorceress Memorial. Zell manages to coax Squall into saving Rinoa, with Quistis' help. Selphie piloted the ship and the save Rinoa before fleeing to Edea's House.  
  
At Edea's house, in her field of flowers, Zell was 'excused' while Rinoa and Squall make a promise to be here, in the field, if they ever get separated. Then, he came back in to tell them some news. The President of Esthar wanted to see them. The scariest thing? The Aide who requested their presence was Kiros. The gang arrived and discovered that Laguna Loire was the President of Esthar, with Kiros and a mute Ward as his Aides. Laguna had a plan to rescue Ellone, who was being help within the Lunatic Pandora with a still comatose Sorceress Adel and a possessed Knight Seifer. With Laguna, Kiros and Ward onboard the Ragnarok, the group went to the Lunatic Pandora to save Ellone and begin the Time Compression that Ultimecia longed for by killing Adel.   
  
Inside the Pandora, they rescue Ellone. Then Seifer attacks them. They thought they had defeated him before he jumps up and captures Rinoa, bringing her to Adel.  
  
After confronting and killing Adel, Ellone instigates Time Compression, sending Ultimecia's consciousness to the future and then bringing Rinoa's back to the present before setting the Time Compression into full swing. Zell and the others are pulled into a world some unknown amount of time into the future. Here, they find a floating Castle. Ultimecia's Castle. They passed the bodies of dead SeeD, and continued up the large chain links keeping the castle from floating off into the sky.  
  
Zell helped to defeat many bosses inside the castle that were blocking various abilities, before defeating Omega Weapon with Squall and Rinoa's help.  
  
Inside Ultimecia's chambers, the teenagers were confronted by a young, silver haired woman they knew as Ultimecia. After her speech of temporal domination and ending the lives of all SeeD, she attacked, using powerful Magics and special abilities to take out the would-be heros. They defeated her once, and she summoned the most powerful of GFs. Griever. The GF represented in Squall's Ring. They battled it and managed to defeat it too, only for the GF to junction itself with Ultimecia. After taking the combined two out, stars began falling around them, and they stood on seemingly starry space, alone. Until, of course, Ultimecia appeared in her true and final form. She used the most powerful Apocalypse magic against them and an attack called Hell's Judgment that lowered the party's HP to one. She spoke, her words sad and disturbing. Using a Holy War, Zell used the one HP and the Invincible status to use his Limit, and ended with My Final Heaven, severely depleting the sorceress' HP before Squall finished her off with Lionheart. The Time Compressed world began to change back and the group all slipped back into their own time. Zell and the others found there proper times and returned to the present.  
  
About a week after Ultimecia's demise in the once-again normal time, there was a party to celebrate their accomplishments. Zell happily ate his first Balamb Garden hot dogs ever. . . only to choke on them. Quistis, Selphie, and the Library Girl (Maekie) managed to keep him from dying, while Irvine TAPED IT! So, he threw the hot dog at the cowboy, mad. Unfortunately, he also scared off all the others too.   
  
The other three weeks had been uneventful. Zell was appointed instructor of History and Unarmed combat of Balamb Garden. Zell also used the time to visit with his Ma and Pa, and used some of the money he was getting to help rebuild some of the destroyed buildings in Balamb. It was a very hectic month, with a lot of mission debriefings, paperwork and craziness. Things are finally starting to settle down again. There was just one thing that's bugging him.  
  
**His unknown desire to head back to the Fire Cavern.**  


  
**Chapter 3- Bed Heads**

_Zell's__ Point of View_  
  
A blond, spikey haired teen moved silently through the Garden hallways, being careful not to wake up any of the students. Me. I have a destination in mind. . .   
  
Cafeteria.  
  
I'm dressed in my instructor's uniform, even though there's still almost two hours before classes.  
  
I have a meeting.  
  
At 7:30.  
In the morning.  
  
I sigh, looking down at my red and black gloved hands. I should be using this time to train. I have to teach Unarmed Combat after classes to a bunch of Junior Classmen.  
  
'Glad I finished that History lesson plan last night.'  
  
I make my way into the doorway of the Cafeteria, and look around to see one of the two cafeteria ladies behind the main counter, and a janitor slowly mopping up a mess behind the counter.

_'They spilled the gravy again'_  
  
**'Third time this week'**  
  
I shake my head and move into the room, and watch as the Cafeteria Lady lifts her head, smiles, and asks me the same question she asks me everyday.  
  
"So what will you be having this morning, Instructor Dincht?"  
  
I grin my trademark grin, and, as always, reply.  
  
"Four hotdogs please."  
  
An unsure look passes over the cafeteria lady's face. She bites her lip, before speaking.  
  
"I'm sorry, Instructor Dincht, but there aren't any hotdogs this morning. . ."  
  
**"SAY WHAT!?!!?!!?!"**  
  
My face turns bright red, my hands balling into fists. My scream echoes loudly off the walls, sending the cry throughout Garden. It took me a second to realize I probably woke up half of Garden. The Cafeteria lady replied softly once more, slowly backing away.  
  
"There are no hotdogs this morning. We're all out for today."  
  
My face bright red, I kept himself from screaming.  
  
"I- I- . . . " I looked about to explode.  
  
"I'll have a glass of milk and 5 slices of toast and Cheez Whiz." I grin, and the cafeteria lady lets out a sigh of relief. She quickly makes my meal and hands it to me, nodding in gratitude. I shove a slice of toast into my mouth, my stomach growling.  
  
I then turned to the doorway to see about twenty cadets glaring at me, all of them with dark circles under their eyes and serious cases of bed-hair.  
"Heh, heh, sorry guys. . ."   
  
And I turn quickly and bolt to the back of the Caf, with 20 pairs of feet echoing my own footsteps.  
  
'Now this is what I call fast food. . . '  
  
All the scary bed-head Junior Classmen chased me from the Caf, and followed me out into the halls. Hoping to lose them, I yelled out 

**"All I wanted was four hotdogs!"**

before ducking into the safety of the Garden's Parking Lot. It was so underused hardly anyone even went in it. Luckily for me, the scary kids didn't follow me. They all went back to bed for another hour of sleep before class. I sighed in relief before realizing something, glancing at my watch.  
  
"I have to meet that kid in five minutes!"  
  
I race off to the Library, hoping the new boy won't be early.   
  
I ran all the way to the Library, out of breath. Get in, see Maekie, the Library Girl with the Pigtails, at the front desk. I scan the room quickly for the new kid. Not seeing him, I freak.  
  
"Hey! Where's the new kid!?"  
  
Maekie, turning to see who it was, seemed to sigh. I glanced around the room quickly again, before letting out a loud sigh.  
  
"Oh no! I lost him! I lost the new guy! Squall's gonna kill me! . . . . .Hey Maekie, sup?"  
  
_Wow, I get over things fast._  
  
Maekie smiled slightly and, after a slight pause, replied. "Not too much, thanks. How are you, Zell?"  
  
I grin my cheesy grin and add a quick "I'm ok, thanks." before remembering my reason for being in the Library in the first place.   
  
"Hey, you seen a kid in here? A boy, um, Damien I think?"  
  
Maekie shook her head. I sigh. A dark haired boy steps out from behind the bookcase, bookbag slung over one shoulder. He shyly moves forward and proceeds to say."That'd be me."  
  
I grin. Saved by my big mouth. That was a first. I smiled a thanks at Maekie and motioned I was going to use the back reading area as the site of the new boy's introduction. I then walked up to the new boy, grinning that grin again (My face was gonna be sore tonight) and motioned for the new boy, Damien, to follow me.  
  
"Hey Damien, my name's Instructor Dincht, but you can call me Zell. Welcome to Balamb Garden!"  
  
I spent about a half hour introducing Garden and its various aspects before a hesitant Maekie peeked around the corner.  
  
"Um, Zell, it's, uh, almost time for classes to start. Well, in about 45 minutes. But I figured you'd need that time to, um, get him settled in. I thought I'd, um, let you know..."  
  
I jumped out of my chair, knocking it to the ground. **"SAY WHAT!?!"**  
  
Damien bit his lip, and was about to repeat what the now freaked out library girl was unable to. Fortunately, I, leaning against the table now, didn't give him the chance.  
  
"Hey dude, we need to get you installed into a Dorm room quick before we're late for class. I'll give you a quick tour, you can get settled in and then come up to class. I'm pretty sure your roommate is Luke Rhodes. He'll be in your first class. So, we'll get you to the dorms so you can get settled and whatever, then maybe later I can get you a meeting with Squa- er, Headmaster Leonhart, ok?" I pushed off the table, waiting for Damien's reply.  
  
"Um, ok. Sounds good to me I guess. Um, could I also get something to eat maybe . . . ? I'm kinda hungry. . ." Damien stood again, lifting the heavy blue and silver bookbag over his shoulder once more.  
  
"OH! Yeah, maybe I should show you to the Caf too. Hm, well, I'll get you a Dorm room first, k? Well, we only have a little over a three quarters of an hour, so we'd better hurry."  
  
Damien followed me from the Library, and we waved to Maekie as we left. The two of us emerged from the Library hallway and Damien stopped. I grinned.  
  
Garden is huge.  
  
He turned to me. "You think I can get a map. . . ? Or, you know, maybe a professional guide might be good too."  
  
I laughed. "New kids. . ." So innocent.  
I grinned. Maybe being this boy's guide would be better then I thought.  
  
Damien followed me through the hallways until we came to a doorway. I slid my ID card across the doorlock and typed in 9-1-4 into the keypad. The door slid open and I dragged Damien into the main room.  
It wasn't an overly amazing looking room, it was a dorm room after all. I let Damien slide his bookbag of his shoulder while I walked to the far left door and knocked on it. There was rustling for about a minute. I leaned over to knock again just as the door opened, and I nearly fell into the smaller bedroom, reaching out and grabbing the doorframe to keep myself on two feet and not my face. Hyne, I hate when that happens. Don't people realize I have no balance? The boy who opened the door looked from me to Damien and back to me again.  
  
I stood back straight and motioned to the blond haired boy in front of me. "Luke," I motioned to the dark-haired kid. "This is Damien. Damien, Luke. Well, I'll let you get installed, Luke, show Damien to the Caf when he's done unpacking then show him to class, ok? Yeah, well, gotta go for now, see ya!"   
  
I turned, waved and walked out of the room, leaving its occupants a bit confused.   
  
Squall walked from his dorm room, still looking tired. I bet he went to sleep at 4 AM again. One of these days he's gonna fall unconscious during a class. Oh well, at least then he might get some sleep. I was running out of Damien and Luke's shared dorm, hoping to make it to the Training Centre before I had to teach class. Not looking where I was going, I ran into Squall and both of us fell to the ground. I grinned sheepishly as I helped Squall up.  
  
"So Squall, sup?"  
  
Squall shook his head, trying to clear his sleep drenched mind. "Not too much. Have a lot of written requests to handle. We're really backlogged with mission reports. It's crazy up there."  
  
"No doubt. I had to introdu-" I reached into my pocket and pulled out the new boy Damien's ID card. "Oh shit, be right back!"  
  
I turned and raced back to the dorm I had come out of, and Squall waited until I reemerged.   
  
Luke was about to ask if Damien wanted to put his stuff in his room when I ran back into the room.  
  
"Oh yeah, almost forgot, this is your Student ID card, gets you into your dorm room and whatever else. Don't lose it. Later!" I handed Damien the card, turning one-eighty degrees and nearly slammed into the wall, smashing my right shoulder hard into the wall. Rubbing my shoulder, I walk out the doorway.  
  
"There, all better. So, where you off to **MR. HEADMASTER**?" I grin evilly.  
Squall shakes his head. "I'm going to grab some liquid caffeine and something to eat before the place gets packed. Your mail-order slaves haven't arrived yet."   
  
Heh. He remembered. I told him last week to get some mail-order slaves to do his dirty work. It amuses me how he takes me seriously sometimes.

"Meh, too bad. Well, I'm going to the Training Centre for some a quick break before classes."  
  
"OK, well, I'm grabbing some caffeine at least. Tired."  
  
I thought about the caffeine for a sec and abandoned my idea of training. "Hm, whatever. Screw the training. I want some caffeine. Need...sleep...." I stretched my arms out in front of me and rolled my eyes to the back of my head. Began walking all zombie-like.   
  
Squall grinned and rolled his eyes. I laughed out loud and abandoned the zombie deal. And we continued to the Cafeteria, unknowing of the danger that waited inside. . . 

**Author's Notes:** Danger, Will Robinson,. Danger! Ha! Yeah, That's Zell's Chapter, Chapter 3. What's the danger? You'll have to wait and see. Anyway, I toned Zell down a bit from the original version, he's not quite as...retarded as I previously made him. So, yeah. Well, hopefully the next few chaps'll be better. I wanna do a Rinoa one now, but I have yet to write her bio and her post/chapter, so you'll have to wait. Until then, check out my Children of Fate site if you need more. Anyway, later reader people, drop a review or three if you aren't busy! I'll be doing the review-replying thing on Mr.Geoff's fic (Different Beat), as I'm almost finished Chapter 3 [it's only been six months...] Well, later.

Shive Frost


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